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SirPhoebos posted:I'm going with a local tour group called the Hive Five Club (don't have any friends that are into backpacking and solo backpacking on Isle Royale is above my risk tolerance). June was the only feasible date given my work schedule. Ah gotcha, my normal group has splintered so I'm going to be in the same boat, might look into similar groups! To the greater thread, any recommendations? Back to IR What route will yall be taking?
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Jan 13, 2022 21:53
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SirPhoebos posted:I'm going to Isle Royale this June. Any goons have any advice? I'll 2nd the seaplane rec. I took the Queen III on my first trip and it was loving terrible, vomited for like 5 hours straight, ruined my trip really. Daisy Farm fills up quick, but is a nice chill spot. Moskey Basin has a beautiful view south and great water access. Chickenbone was OK, but I'd hike a few miles more and go to McCargo. Shelters there, overlooking the bay, with an old copper mine about half mile down the trail. Lane Cove does have a beautiful view, really a serene spot. I went in May one time and June another, got lucky and had no flies and not many mosquitos.
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Jan 15, 2022 11:42
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I’m trying to get a JMT lottery permit. I’ve read that there is like a 3% chance. Does anyone have any advice to maximize my odds other than “try for a walk up?” I’m open to starting from wherever, nobo or sobo but I’ve been trying happy meadows start with no luck.
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Jan 15, 2022 17:53
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Think you just have to be flexible with the start dates... no other way to increase your odds other than just apply as much as you can. Speaking of JMT, is a Sept start date feasible at all? Or mid-August? I've got a few weeks off work around that point and I've been looking for a trail around there to do. Thinking of doing either the JMT or Tahoe Rim Trail (or maybe even both??). My main concern is trying to beat the wildfire season.
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Jan 15, 2022 18:56
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Finally did baby's first backpacking trip last week in Big Bend - one day a few miles into the Chisos mountains, couple more days at a normal campground by the river. We ended up getting rained on inside the tent because I closed the vents due to the cold and the sun melted all the frost inside the rainfly. Thankfully not a real problem since that was the last day, and I guess I won't do that again. Because it got down to 28 degrees my nose and cheeks got extremely frozen and chapped though, because they were sticking out of my mummy bag. How do you keep your face warm when the weather is trying to freeze it off? Had a lot of fun but will stay in warmer weather until we get the gear to handle it.
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Jan 16, 2022 17:03
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all yall brave souls that do winter backpacking have more mettle than me. for winter, give me a cabin and a long dayhike lol
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Jan 16, 2022 17:33
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Watching videos of people setting up tent in snow says to me everyone gotta try it at least once. Stamping out a pad then digging a little bench to sit on and do cooking. 
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Jan 16, 2022 18:48
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Camping in the snow is actually pretty great but having the right gear goes a huge way to making it more enjoyable.
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Jan 16, 2022 19:19
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Also finding that temperature point between were the snow is not quite melting but everything is wet and slushy and temps so cold all your equipment is frozen and extremely brittle. I would recommend 'day camping' in the winter and not planning on doing a overnighter if you are at all hesitant about doing it, basically your not commiting to anything other than having to set up and break down camp in the same day. But definitely look at some gear lists or youtube videos of people who do it regulary in the winter.
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Jan 17, 2022 09:26
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Planning a trip in the 2nd week of May to Mt Rainier. I normally use Alltrails or a park's website to choose hikes. I am a bit overwhelmed with the sheer amount of options for trails there. Does anyone have suggestions for specific trails to check out? Reading up, for Rainer we might still find roads to access trails closed for snow that time of year? Looking for trails in the 5-10 mile range. Been to Seattle a few times, but never been able to escape the city previously. Got a rental car and a nearby cabin rental.
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Jan 17, 2022 23:23
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There will still be a lot of snow, and also general slop. Most trails you might be interested in will probably be covered. I assume you are staying near the Nisqually/Longmire/Paradise entrance?
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Jan 17, 2022 23:50
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Arkhamina posted:Planning a trip in the 2nd week of May to Mt Rainier. I normally use Alltrails or a park's website to choose hikes. I am a bit overwhelmed with the sheer amount of options for trails there. Rainier will still be super loving snowy in 2nd week of May. Most trailheads and roads to anywhere but Paradise will still be closed.
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Jan 18, 2022 03:30
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Maybe ten years ago my wife and I planned a day trip to Rainier in the third week of July. Everything at Paradise was still covered in feet of snow (and the weather was cold and clouded in as well). Admittedly that was a pretty high-snow year, but this year is well above average last I heard. The Cascades are absolutely beautiful, so it's always sad to me that we get such a limited window to enjoy them. I'm really hoping to start doing more shoulder-season stuff one of these days.
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Jan 18, 2022 06:41
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Arkhamina posted:Planning a trip in the 2nd week of May to Mt Rainier. I normally use Alltrails or a park's website to choose hikes. I am a bit overwhelmed with the sheer amount of options for trails there. Last year I day-hiked glacier basin on the 4th of July and hit snow somewhere around 6600 feet if I remember correctly. My guess is while most of the roads are probably going to be clear by then, the trails will probably still be very snow covered. Your cabin rental location will also dictate where you'll want to hike if cayuse pass is still closed. If you're on the south side of the park, driving all the way around to the north side (and the opposite) takes a while unless the pass is open. Each year is unique regarding snow pack though. Alltrails is nice but people here really use WTA Washington trail associations and update the trail reports often.
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Jan 18, 2022 08:56
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Northside cabin. Welp... Maybe should have asked advice before getting tickets and a rental. The good news is the rental has a hot tub and is only for 3 days. Guess we will be spending more time indoors... Being a Midwesterner, I didn't think about elevation. Any idea how Olympia is that time of the year? The remaining 4 days of the trip we are still sorting out. Got a rental with unlimited milage, and I actually like driving.
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Jan 18, 2022 19:51
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Arkhamina posted:Northside cabin. Welp... Maybe should have asked advice before getting tickets and a rental. The good news is the rental has a hot tub and is only for 3 days. Guess we will be spending more time indoors... Being a Midwesterner, I didn't think about elevation. One north side option would be something around Crystal Mountain. Crystal is a ski area, so the road is open year-round, but they won't be running the lifts anymore in May. You'd be hiking in the snow but at least you could get to the trailhead for Norse Peak or to Silver King or Silver Queen at the top of the ski area.
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Jan 18, 2022 20:03
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There are also hikes along the stretch of 410 that runs from MRNP to Greenwater and Enumclaw ( i assume that is what you mean by the northside). Some of them may be melted out in May. I recommend using the various search function on wta.org to see what is near where you will be, and then looking back through trip reports to get a feel for when things melt out
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Jan 18, 2022 21:04
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jjack229 posted:Great photos. I did Kilimanjaro in 2013 with three other people and it was a great experience. We also had good weather every day (no rain), which helps. One of our guides talked a bit about that route, and it sounded like a very cool but more technically challenging way to do the mountain - how was camping in the crater? Were you required to tote your own O2 canisters for that?
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Jan 18, 2022 22:30
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aparmenideanmonad posted:One of our guides talked a bit about that route, and it sounded like a very cool but more technically challenging way to do the mountain - how was camping in the crater? Were you required to tote your own O2 canisters for that? It went well. It's the only route I've done, so I can't know how the other ones would have gone. The extra camping day going up was nice; it was a great site. We had four hikers in our group. We all experienced minor altitude sickness, but nothing major. I slept terrible almost every night on the ascent (maybe an altitude thing?) and the night in the crater was the worse for that. Otherwise, crater camping was really cool. Nice to spend a lot of time at the top of the mountain and walk around the ash cone and the glaciers. We were the only group that camped that day and because we didn't have to descend the same day we had a later start (6 AM, I think). We had the rim and the crater all to our selves. Our route (ascended from the north, descended toward the south):  Our campsite:  Some more photos from the crater:  
jjack229 fucked around with this message at 19:53 on Feb 3, 2022 |
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Feb 3, 2022 19:07
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Anyone do hiking around Phoenix or the south side of the Grand Canyon? We are going down there for a couple weeks and I’d like any suggestions for day trip hikes. I also would like to hike down to the bottom of the Canyon just to say I did the thing.
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Feb 3, 2022 22:41
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Naramyth posted:Anyone do hiking around Phoenix or the south side of the Grand Canyon? We are going down there for a couple weeks and I’d like any suggestions for day trip hikes. I also would like to hike down to the bottom of the Canyon just to say I did the thing. Hiking to the bottom of the canyon and back isn't exactly a recommended day hike. Assuming you go down the South Kaibab and up the Bright Angel, you're talking a ~17 mile hike, with nearly a vertical mile of elevation change between the rim and the river. And once you start ascending, there's no breaks or easy patches—it is all uphill, for switchback after switchback, hour after hour. It is doable, but extremely arduous, and you'll be hiking for well over 12-14 hours. So if all this sounds like something you actually want to do, and if you're in the physical shape to do it, here's some advice: -Bring layers. The temperature difference between the rim and the river is ~25°F, with the temperature being hotter at the bottom than it is at the top. You'll also be starting and ending your hike at the coldest time of the day at the coldest part of the canyon, while going through the bottom during the hottest part of the day, so the temperature swing will be significant. So make sure you're wearing layers that you can add and remove to hike comfortably regardless of the temperature. -Get crampons. Assuming you're talking about going within the next month or two, the upper levels of the Bright Angel and South Kaibab are going to be muddy and/or icy, especially at the start and/or end of your hike. As you descend there won't be as much ice (Especially after the sun comes out), but you'll still want as much traction as you can for those sections. -Bring plenty of water, and check where you can refill your water ahead of time. There's a pipeline that runs along the Bright Angel Trail with several water stations, but the pipeline is over 50 years old at this point and breaks frequently. The water stations at 1.5 Mile and 3 Mile rest houses are also likely to be turned off because of the cold weather. So make sure you carry at least 4 liters of water with you, and top off at Bright Angel Campground if possible. The good news for you is that hiking in February/March is a hell of a lot better than doing it in June/July, when the temperatures at the bottom can reach 120°F in the shade. But even so, the standard rules and heat warnings for hiking within the canyon still apply: Drink water, consume salts, take breaks, and make sure you're not overheating or overexerting yourself. And make sure to talk to a ranger if possible (Preferably at the Backcountry Information Center) to get updated on trail and weather conditions. If you decide not to hike down to the bottom and back (good choice), you've still got plenty of options: South Kaibab to Cedar Ridge (3 mile round trip) or Skeleton Point (6 mile) is a great hike with excellent views, and gets you a bit farther out into the canyon compared to the equivalent distance on the Bright Angel. The Hermit Trail is also a nice option—it's much less trafficked than either the BA or SK, and hiking down to Santa Maria Springs (5 mile round trip) gets you hiking along an awesome section of trail. Hope that all helps. The canyon is an awesome place for hiking, but it can and will kill you. But if you do your best to know what you're getting into before you start descending, then you'll probably make it out okay. Just sore. Very, very sore.
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Feb 3, 2022 23:22
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I'll soft-counter that post and say that a rim to phantom ranch and back hike is glorious if you're up for it. Start before sunrise so you're ahead of the mules and bring plenty of food and water if you're there during the colder months when the water sources might be off.
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Feb 3, 2022 23:26
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Bottom Liner posted:I'll soft-counter that post and say that a rim to phantom ranch and back hike is glorious if you're up for it. Start before sunrise so you're ahead of the mules and bring plenty of food and water if you're there during the colder months when the water sources might be off. The problem that fucks up a lot of people is that "if you're up for it" can be impossible to judge until you're already there. Is this person used to long hikes? How are they with long ascents/descents? What altitude are they coming from? For many people used to breathing at sea level, going up to 7,000 feet, descending to 2,400, and then coming back up to 7,000 is straight-up beyond their physical limits, even if they're otherwise used to long hikes. I've personally met plenty of people on the trail who thought they were up for it, and end up hosed up and miserable, with a couple miles still to go. Even for people who live and work at the canyon, going down to the bottom and back in one day isn't something anyone does as a lark in their free time. My advice is that if you have multiple days to spend at the canyon, try and do a shorter hike first. Maybe BA to 1.5 mile, SK to Ooh-Aah, nothing too crazy—just enough to go down, come back up, and get a sense for how descending and ascending feels. Then, you can make a more informed judgement about how you think you'll fare on a longer hike, and proceed appropriately.
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Feb 4, 2022 00:07
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Acebuckeye13 posted:Even for people who live and work at the canyon, going down to the bottom and back in one day isn't something anyone does as a lark in their free time. This isn't true going by my friends that work every year at the North Rim Lodge. And yea, obviously it's a challenging hike that a beginner shouldn't tackle, but if you're experienced and in shape it's not beyond the scope of most hikers, especially ones that do long hikes as you said. I will add that if you do any hikes down the rim to take poles. I used them for the first time on my R2R2R they were a huge knee saver that day.
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Feb 4, 2022 00:45
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We’ve done chocarrero in Peru (several days) and the rainbow(?) canyon in grand Tetons. Long, even significant elevation changes, day hikes are something we’ve done. It does sound like we might be there at the wrong time though. We are going in a couple weeks, not in like April. Thanks for the advice though folks. I knew it was long but not 14h long. That might be too much.
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Feb 4, 2022 01:08
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Naramyth posted:We’ve done chocarrero in Peru (several days) and the rainbow(?) canyon in grand Tetons. Long, even significant elevation changes, day hikes are something we’ve done. It does sound like we might be there at the wrong time though. We are going in a couple weeks, not in like April. We did a trip to the Grand Canyon and Utah a few years ago in the first week of February. Trail conditions were mostly clear, with patches of ice/old snow in parts. Microspikes or even Yaktrax were sufficient for us. Check the weather and see if there are cameras or something, but it might not be too bad. If you're in the area it's worth it to go there even if only for short hikes. The lack of crowds made it so much more pleasant (although I can't speak to how much covid has increased winter numbers).
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Feb 4, 2022 01:19
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Bottom Liner posted:This isn't true going by my friends that work every year at the North Rim Lodge. I've lived and worked on the South Rim for NPS and know, like, one person who hiked to the river as a day hike during their off time. He said it was terrible and wouldn't do it again. I sure as hell have no interest in doing it, and I have been to the bottom and back. Like, sure. Technically, it is physically feasible for an experienced hiker to go down to the bottom and back. But that hike puts a huge number of hikers right up against their physical limits, and I would not say it is wise or advisable for the majority to try and attempt it—especially for someone who's just arriving at the canyon. There's a reason the park stations rangers on the trail to assess hikers, and just this past year they made a record number of medical assists. It is a very strenuous hike, and there are people who have died or been severely injured doing it—mostly during the summer when temperatures in the canyon are insane, but a few during the winter as well. Lots of people do it and have a great time. You're obviously one of them! But speaking as someone who's seen the many who don't have a great time, I really feel obligated to make it clear how difficult the hike can be — and that anyone who's considering doing it should be well aware as to what they're getting into, and the best ways to do it. Naramyth posted:We’ve done chocarrero in Peru (several days) and the rainbow(?) canyon in grand Tetons. Long, even significant elevation changes, day hikes are something we’ve done. It does sound like we might be there at the wrong time though. We are going in a couple weeks, not in like April. For a (slightly) less strenuous hike that gets you a spectacular view of the canyon and the river, I can recommend going out to Plateau Point. It's a spur trail that splits off from Bright Angel at Indian Garden, and gets you to a point about 1,400 feet directly above the Colorado River. I've been there at sunrise, and it is an awesome, awesome experience. Acebuckeye13 fucked around with this message at 01:40 on Feb 4, 2022 |
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Feb 4, 2022 01:22
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I've never been to the Grand Canyon but now I wanna go, long arduous hikes are my jam. I imagine the scenery is amazing as well
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Feb 7, 2022 23:48
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Hotel Kpro posted:I've never been to the Grand Canyon but now I wanna go, long arduous hikes are my jam. I imagine the scenery is amazing as well It's a weird spot, even for non hikers it's something everyone should see in their life. It's unimaginably big. But if you don't hike it's something you can experience in an an hour and be "done" with it. Maybe if you're really in to it, catch a sunset at desert view.. there's just nothing left to experience after the initial awe of starting at a colossal hole in the ground. But if you are able to hike into it it opens up a whole new dimension.
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Feb 8, 2022 01:31
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Naramyth posted:Anyone do hiking around Phoenix or the south side of the Grand Canyon? We are going down there for a couple weeks and I’d like any suggestions for day trip hikes. I also would like to hike down to the bottom of the Canyon just to say I did the thing. Just to add my 2pc to GC chat. If you've done ~5000 ft decent + ascent in a day before, are comfortable doing that, and you plan on hiking on a day when the weather is not too warm, then you should be fine. It's all on modestly graded, switchbacked trails. That being said, 5k - & + is a lot. It's pretty extreme for a day hike. Many/most hikers haven't done that before, and doing it for the 1st time in the Grand Canyon is probably dumb. Doubly so if it's warm out. Anyway imho the best views are all within <= 3000 ft of decent from the rim anyway, on either South Kaibab or Bright Angel. I personally like it best in the middle of winter, since it's nice and cold and the scenery is absolutely stunning with snow.
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Feb 8, 2022 01:31
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xzzy posted:It's a weird spot, even for non hikers it's something everyone should see in their life. It's unimaginably big. But if you don't hike it's something you can experience in an an hour and be "done" with it. Maybe if you're really in to it, catch a sunset at desert view.. there's just nothing left to experience after the initial awe of starting at a colossal hole in the ground. Climbing down into and then out of a huge canyon at Canyonlands was an incredible experience, and I hope to do the same in the Grand Canyon one day. You feel so small.
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Feb 8, 2022 01:39
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Update of canyon talk: we are gonna go check it out the canyon but not do a rim to rim thing. We are instead going to Joshua Tree National Park that weekend and check out the Sedona area after. We are going to do some backpacking practice this year so we can do a rim to rim camping thing next year.
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Feb 8, 2022 05:00
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Sedona has some great hiking and it is super easy to get around, make sure to be out for a sunset because the rocks will turn an absurd shade of red. Avoid getting sucked into a vortex though, it may turn you into an incurable hippy.
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Feb 8, 2022 05:22
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Cathedral Rock at sunset is really amazing and it’s a vortex so you can also say you did that. It’s fun!
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Feb 8, 2022 05:27
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Is anyone else following the union action at REI? The company put out a "podcast" as part of their anti-union push. https://our.rei.com/
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Feb 8, 2022 23:29
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I only glanced through the transcript because it's pretty painful to get through, lots of carefully selected talking points and flowery analogies. But in short their story seems to be "we think we were doing fine because a co-op has a 'way' and unionizing will mess that up. But workers are mad so we messed that up already but I think we should try to fix it." Well duh, that's what the people wanting to unionize are trying to do. Maybe give them a living wage and they won't get pissed off? 
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Feb 8, 2022 23:41
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Fully expecting a “REI is glad to support the effort to unionize, unfortunately we had to scrap the member dividend as a result” poison pill.
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Feb 9, 2022 00:26
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Introducing yourself with your pronouns and a stolen land acknowledgement before you launch into your anti union podcast is just 
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Feb 9, 2022 18:25
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tumblr hype man posted:Introducing yourself with your pronouns and a stolen land acknowledgement before you launch into your anti union podcast is just Love to see the weaponized idpol at work.
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Feb 9, 2022 19:14
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Naramyth posted:Update of canyon talk: we are gonna go check it out the canyon but not do a rim to rim thing. We are instead going to Joshua Tree National Park that weekend and check out the Sedona area after. Joshua Tree is like being on another planet. If you like to scramble or climb it’s a fantastic place to spend a weekend or three
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Feb 10, 2022 00:28
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